Some Republicans, including President Donald Trump, have been calling out rising radicalism in the Democratic Party, particularly among its more socialist politicians, such as Zohran Mamdani. But if Republicans think that this will make people averse to Democrats, they are wrong.

The “Radical Left” (as President Trump often says) is no longer a fringe, but a legitimate and substantial part of American politics. It is in power, or gaining power, across several states. Why? Because while its policies might seem extreme, the “Radical Left” actually seems like it is willing to do something about America’s problems. Many of its policies may be overly idealistic, but at least it is genuine in this age of political cynicism.

It is easy to call out extremist policies on the other side, yet harder to provide concrete alternatives. Conservatives cannot appeal to the people by just opposing leftism (just like how Democrats cannot win by merely opposing Trump). Conservatives must actually be for something rather than simply do things because Trump said they should.